MLB The Show 23: How to unlock Negro League cards in Diamond Dynasty

MLB The Show 23 shines a light on the history of the Negro Leagues through its new Storylines mode, which tells the stories of eight of the greatest athletes to play professional baseball in the sport’s pre-integration days. But that’s not the only way in which the game features these Negro League greats: They’re also playable in Diamond Dynasty, the mode in which you put together fantasy teams with virtual trading cards.

Baseball’s all-time greats have been available as playable “legends” in Diamond Dynasty (and Franchise) for many years now, allowing MLB The Show players to put Mickey Mantle on the same team as Aaron Judge. The crop of legends is in this year’s edition. MLB The Show 23’s Diamond Dynasty mode will include Negro League players for the first time. They’ll be available as soon as the game launches — its public release date is March 28, but early access is live as of March 24 — and thanks to the way Negro League baseball was played, they’ll be some of the most desirable players in all of Diamond Dynasty. Here’s how to unlock them.

What Negro League players can you find on MLB The Show 23

MLB The Show 23’s Storylines mode focuses on eight Negro League stars, running the gamut from one of the most renowned figures in American history to some lesser-known ballplayers who were no less skilled on the field:

• Martín Dihigo
• John Donaldson
• Andrew “Rube” Foster
• John Jordan “Buck” O’Neil
• Leroy “Satchel” Paige
• Jackie Robinson
• Hilton Smith
• Hank Thompson

How can you unlock the Negro League members in Diamond Dynasty

It’s simple: Play the Storylines mode!

That’s right — all you have to do to unlock MLB The Show 23’s eight Negro League stars for use in Diamond Dynasty is to play through their respective Storylines chapters. You’ll get a 90-rated card for each player once you complete their segment, and if you do all eight of them, you’ll also receive a 95-rated Captain card for Hall of Famer Buck O’Neil.

Each player’s Storylines chapter is broken up into a number of playable “moments” interspersed with video vignettes that tell you more about the athlete’s career and life. The chapters take between 35 and 45 minutes each, according to MLB The Show creator SIE San Diego Studio. You should be able complete all eight in approximately five hours. That’s not too much of a time investment to unlock some of the best players in Diamond Dynasty! You should also check out the Storylines mode. It is very interesting and definitely worth it.

Why are the Negro League players so great in Diamond Dynasty’s Negro League?

Image: SIE San Diego Studio/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Diamond Dynasty is about having the most talented team possible using the cards you have. It may make sense to play someone out of position — even if that drops their overall rating a bit — to make room for a player who needs to stay in a certain spot. That’s going to be less of an issue if you’ve unlocked the Negro League cards.

One of the many remarkable things about the Negro Leagues is that it was common for athletes to be two-way players — to pitch as well as hit. Due to financial constraints, players often had to do double duty because rosters were limited to only 20 spots. That’s not to say that everyone excelled in both roles, but a few of the standouts are featured in MLB The Show 23. In fact, everyone except Satchel Paige can play at least two positions — and Cuban-born Hall of Famer Martín Dihigo can play All nine.

• Martín Dihigo: SP/C/1B/2B/3B/SS/LF/CF/RF
• John Donaldson: SP/1B/LF/CF/RF
• Rube Foster: SP/1B
• Buck O’Neil: 1B/LF/RF
• Satchel Paige: SP
• Jackie Robinson: 2B/SS
• Hilton Smith SP/LF/RF
• Hank Thompson:

You will be able to build your Diamond Dynasty roster with more options by unlocking the versatile players Hank Thompson or Dihigo.